Exposed electrical box

Safety: Common electrical hazards

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Take a moment today to think about electrical hazards and how you can make your operation safe for you, your family, workers and visitors.

There are several things you can do at home, in the barn, and workshops to help eliminate the chances of shocks, electrocution and fires.

Missing covers

Missing covers on junction boxes, switches and outlets expose energized circuits, creating arc flash, shock, and electrocution hazards. In addition, missing covers provide a path of entry into the interior of the enclosure, allowing dust, dirt, and debris to accumulate. Missing covers could allow metallic objects to fall into the circuits that could arc or lodge in a way that presents a hazard when the enclosure is opened.

Broken/unsupported light fixtures

Light fixtures should be permanently mounted to the base and show no signs of damage. Light fixtures that are hanging unsupported by wiring, puts undue stress on the electrical connections. These two conditions present the potential for an electrical short, which can produce sparks that can ignite combustibles leading to a fire.

Circuit breakers

All electrical breaker panels should be equipped with an appropriate cover and remain closed. Missing covers expose the circuits to dust and physical damage. If an arc or short circuit would occur, the cover will contain the sparks from igniting surrounding combustibles.

There should not be any missing breakers or other openings between breakers. These openings allow for the potential for electrocution, physical damage, and dust and dirt to accumulate in the circuits. Spare clips should be installed in any openings in the breaker panel.

Breakers must never be taped or physically secured in the “ON” position. If the breaker is not allowed to trip, or cannot be manually tripped, the wiring could overheat, increasing the chances of a fire.

The electrical panel should be indexed, identifying each individual circuit breaker.

Housekeeping

Electrical equipment can and does fail, often catastrophically, with arcing that produces large amounts of heat. Any combustible material in the vicinity of the arc flash can be ignited.

Access to electrical rooms should be limited to authorized maintenance or operations personnel that understand the importance of maintaining a clean, well-ventilated electrical area.

Electrical equipment areas should be kept dry and equipment needs to be protected from moisture. When evidence of moisture contamination is noted, equipment should be examined for damage and necessary repairs made. The source of the moisture needs to be identified and eliminated.

Electrical equipment areas should be clean and protected from dust and dirt. Placing storage items too close to electrical panels or near electrical equipment will restrict air circulation and impede proper cooling. Excessive heat buildup will result in premature failure and shortened service life.

Work safe. Farm safe. Home safe.™

™ is a trademark of Thompsons Limited.

Winter walking photo

Safety: Slips, trips and falls – winter safety tips

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Let’s look at walking outside when it’s cold and snowy or icy.

Here are some winter safety tips to help prevent slips and falls:

  • Plan ahead and give yourself sufficient time.
  • When walking on steps, always use the hand railings and plant your feet firmly on each step.
  • Bending your knees a little and taking slower and shorter steps increases traction and can greatly reduce your chances of falling.
  • Streets and sidewalks that have been cleared of snow and ice should still be approached with caution. Look out for “black ice.” Dew, fog or water vapour can freeze on cold surfaces and form an extra-thin, nearly invisible layer of ice that can look like a wet spot on the pavement.
  • Carrying heavy items can challenge your sense of balance. Try not to carry too much–you need to leave your hands and arms free to better balance yourself.
  • Be prepared to fall and try to avoid using your arms to break your fall. If you fall backwards, make a conscious effort to tuck your chin so your head doesn’t strike the ground with a full force.
  • When entering a building, remove as much snow and water from your boots as you can. Take notice that floors and stairs may be wet and slippery–walk carefully.
  • Use special care when entering and exiting vehicles–use the vehicle for support.

Work safe. Farm safe. Home safe.™

™ is a registered trademark of Thompsons Limited.

Safety: The dangers of carbon monoxide

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Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous, odorless, and tasteless gas. CO results from the incomplete burning of natural gas and any other material containing carbon such as gasoline, kerosene, oil, propane, coal, wood, etc. Examples of carbon monoxide sources include portable generators, concrete cutting saws, space heaters, welding, and gasoline powered equipment. Smoldering grain can also produce carbon monoxide.

Health effects

Carbon monoxide is hazardous to persons inside of confined spaces or poorly ventilated areas. When carbon monoxide is inhaled, it displaces oxygen in the blood depriving the heart, brain, and other vital organs of the oxygen the body needs. Large amounts of carbon monoxide can kill a person in minutes without warning, causing them to lose consciousness and suffocate. Read more

working in winter conditions photo

Safety: Preparing for winter work

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Working outside in the winter can be a dirty job, but many of us have to do it.

Are you ready for winter work?

Here are some reminders about dressing for the weather and staying strong, healthy and safe: 

  • Two big concerns of working or simply spending time outdoors in cold weather are frostbite and hypothermia. Hypothermia is a potentially fatal condition caused by loss of body temperature, even in winter conditions people might not consider particularly nasty. Symptoms include fatigue, nausea, confusion, light-headedness and profuse sweating.
  • Wear the right gloves for the work you are doing. Gloves should have enough insulation to keep you warm and prevent frostbite, but be thin enough so you can feel what you are doing if you are manipulating controls or tools. Gloves which are too thick can also make your hands and wrists work too hard trying to hold on to objects, causing repetitive strain injury.
  • Dress in layers of light-weight clothing which keep you warmer than a single layer of heavy clothes. Remove layers as necessary to prevent overheating and perspiring which can lead to chills or hypothermia later. Protect your ears from frostbite as well by wearing a hat that will cover your ears, or use ear muffs.
  • Keep your safety eyewear from fogging up in the cold. Investigate anti-fog coatings and wipes to see if these products are appropriate for your eyewear.
  • Your shoes or boots should have adequate tread to prevent slips and falls on wet or icy surfaces. Slow down when walking across slippery surfaces and be especially careful on ladders, platforms and stairways.
  • Get plenty of rest. Working in the cold and even traveling to and from work in the winter takes lots of energy. Cold weather can strain your heart, even if you aren’t overexerting yourself, so be sure to pace yourself when lifting heavy objects or shovelling snow.

Work safe. Farm safe. Home safe.™

Safety: Hazards of fall driving

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Weather conditions can be unpredictable in the fall. A bright, beautiful afternoon can turn rainy and cold in minutes. With the days getting shorter, you could find yourself commuting to and from work in darkness.

Common fall driving hazards

Back to school traffic

Fall means back to school traffic for kids, which means more cars and buses on the roads. Drivers need to watch out for increased pedestrian traffic in the morning and afternoon as children walk to and from school and their neighborhood bus stops.

Rain

Rain can be particularly dangerous, as water pools on top of dust and oil that hasn’t had a chance to wash away and makes the pavement extremely slippery.

Fog

Cold fall mornings often lead to fog, which can greatly limit your driving visibility and perception of distance. Fog tends to occur in low places or areas surrounded by hills, water, mountains, and trees. One common mistake drivers make during foggy conditions is putting on their high beams instead of staying with their low beams. When driving through fog, slow down and stay well behind the vehicle in front of you so you’ll have adequate time to stop if required.

Frost

During the fall, temperatures tend to drop dramatically during the night, which can lead to morning frost and icy spots on the road. This is especially common on bridges, overpasses, and shaded areas of the road.

Sun glare

Fall is a bad time for sun glare on the roads. Sun glare can impact your sight for seconds after exposure, making it hard to see pedestrians, oncoming traffic, or the vehicle in front of you.

Deer crossing sign

Safety: Avoiding deer collisions

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The fall season brings an increase in deer activity because it’s their time for mating and migrating. Avoid deer collisions by watching for darting deer, especially when driving early in the morning or at night. According to the insurance institute, 1.6 million deer-vehicle collisions occur each year, resulting in 200 fatalities, tens of thousands of injuries and over $3.6 billion in vehicle damage. Read more

N95 mask photo

Safety: Mycotoxin (Vomitoxin) and respiratory health

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Mycotoxins in corn are produced when certain molds infect the ears of corn. Molds produce mycotoxins only under certain environmental conditions. Furthermore, not all molds cause mycotoxins, but mycotoxins in corn cannot exist unless molds are present. In fact, thousands of molds are capable of growing on corn, but only a very few species actually produce mycotoxins – and only under certain Read more

Thanksgiving background photo

Thanksgiving Safety Tips

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Many people travel by car for Thanksgiving.

Keep in mind the following safety tips over the holiday:

  • Check your emergency kit: Contents should include: battery powered radio, flashlight, blanket, jumper cables, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, bottled water, non-perishable foods, maps, tire repair kit and flares.
  • Be aware of changes in weather. Remember weather can change dramatically from when you start your trip to when you end.
  • Long weekends have 18 per cent more deadly accidents than non-holiday weekends.
  • Extra police force will be on the roadways this weekend to monitor aggressive, speeding, distracted and impaired drivers.
  • Failing to use your seatbelt may be a bigger cause of fatal accidents during long weekends than either driver intoxication or speeding
  • Children under 12 should always ride in the back seat.

 In addition to road safety, please consider the following:

  • Cooking mishaps account for 30 per cent of residential fires in Canada, according to data from the National Fire Information Database.
  • Don’t leave your stove or oven unattended and make sure you have working smoke alarms and a fire extinguisher.
  • If you have a grease fire in one of your pots, turn off the source of the heat and focus on cutting the oxygen supply. You can do so by covering up your pot with a tight-fitting lid, if you have one, or another pot.
  • NEVER use water to try to put it out a grease fire! This can cause the grease to sputter and for the fire to spread. 

Keep safe everyone, and enjoy this celebratory time of year.

If you ate today, thank a farmer.

following farm equipment photo

Sharing the road – farmers and motorists

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Now is the time for field crop harvest, and more motorists will be encountering farm equipment on rural roads, increasing the potential for accidents.

Harvest season generally brings a time when there is an increase in collisions between farm equipment and other vehicles.

Keep in mind the following safety tips for motorists as you share the road with farm equipment:

  • Farm machinery has a legal right to use public roads just as other motor vehicles.
  • Farm machinery can unexpectedly turn onto a public road from a field or driveway.
  • Farm machinery operators may not be able to see you because the large equipment or a load can block part of their rear view.
  • Slow-moving farm machinery traveling less than 25 miles per hour should display a slow moving vehicle emblem on the back of the equipment.
  • Extra-wide farm machinery may take up more than one lane to avoid hitting obstacles such as mailboxes and road signs.

Before passing farm machinery:

  • Look for left turn lights or hand signals. If the machinery slows and pulls toward the right side of the road, the operator is likely preparing to make a wide left turn.
  • Be sure there is adequate distance for you to safely pass.

Rural road rage can be negated if everyone takes the responsibility to have extra patience, careful driving habits, and use high-visibility markings and lighting.